1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. In particular, the invention is concerned with a telecommunications network architecture that uses a service host to control the application of enhanced services. In preferred forms, the service host determines the disposition of the call and provides corresponding instructions to the origination switch by way of a service control point (SCP) in response to a request initiated by the SCP upon encountering a service node in the routing tables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Enhanced service calls are those requiring services beyond direct dialing or translation of a dialed number into a destination number. An example is a call placed using a voice calling card requiring the services of a voice response unit for handling. The origination switch recognizes the dialed number of the voice calling card call, such as a toll free or "800" number, as being a special number and forwards a query to a service control point (SCP). The SCP executes routing tables and thereby translates the dialed number into a destination number corresponding to the voice response unit (VRU). The call is routed over the network to a controllable service switch serving a set of VRUs. The VRU and a connected host computer process the call. If the processing results in a destination number, for example, the call is re-originated from the controllable service switch over a new routing to the destination. For the duration of the call, two routings or call legs are in service: from the origination switch to the controllable service switch and from there to the destination. Additionally, controllable service switch ports are also in use for the entire duration of the call. This represents an inefficient use of network capability.